If One Thing is True
by One Fine Daze
Summary: In world full of magical and mythical creatures, every child is given a chance to wield unworldly powers within the depths of their pockets. One boy stood distant from the rest, wanting more than the fulfillment of an adolescent dream. His path was unknown and his past was harrowed. His story begins, just like everyone's. With a choice.
1. The Fire

"_These monsters possess powers undreamed of. In this land battles with fire breather and giant aren't uncommon. Some take the form of great dragons or mystical fairies. Some look like common creatures. Others are aliens, disturbing and bizarre. Be it they ghouls, rocks, trolls or plants. All are demons and all are dangerous. Have they powers of magic, strength, speed, or chance. Changing form creates a beast more treacherous. Without going unchecked these beasts would rule the world. This is why man created his technologies to control them. Now the forces of nature are at the will of the humans. Whether to use these powers for good or evil is for each to decide."_

_Wendell J. Nelson _

The Fire

In a small valley 100 miles southeast of Vermillion City, Mo sat atop a boulder near the forest's edge. He flicked pebbles into the shallow creek next to his rest spot as he snacked on the sandwich his mom had made him. He brushed his hand over a strange marking scratched into the rock. Rubbing his fingers across the indentations, he could tell the etching was made recently. _Who could have made this arrow shaped engraving?_ He wondered. The only people that passed through the valley were lost travelers and the occasional hunter. And it didn't look like a tracking symbol he was familiar with.

He noticed a red reflection in the water below. Lifting from his seat, Mo got a closer look at the vulpix peeking from behind the rock. Vulpix was lifting its nose gently in the air, catching the scent of Mo's sandwich. "Hey Vulpix," Mo cheerfully exclaimed. As it stepped out from the behind the boulder Mo tossed a chunk of sandwich Vulpix's way. Vulpix caught the sandwich and swallowed it quickly as it walked toward Mo. "Are you going to let me pet you today?" Mo questioned, extending out his hand. But the timid vulpix sped his pace up just enough to be out of Mo's reach. Mo sighed in disappointment and sat back down. "I've known you for months now and you still don't trust me." Vulpix moved to face Mo and let out a small howl, "vuuuoool." Obliging the young, three tailed vulpix, Mo tossed a piece of torn crust to it. He smiled down at Vulpix then out across the large prairie his family owned.

Most of the flat, grass land he could see was a part of his family's ranch and the rest was either untamed prairie or forest. "You know Vulpix, sometimes I wish I didn't have to stay here," Mo confessed with an almost somber tone in his voice. "Everything's great but sometimes I wish I had friends other than my mom and dad. Maybe in two years, when I'm ten, I can travel the world. But who knows." Mo continued to gaze across the valley as he imagined what it would be like to step out into the unfamiliar world. He would be as free and wild as a mustang rapidash.

A heavy wind from the eastern sea picked up as dusk approached. Watching as the grass blades changed direction with the winds, Mo's hazel eyes stayed fixed on no particular object. He let his mind go numb as a cold gust pushed his short dark hair back. This winter had been abnormally cold and Mo could hardly stand the freeze. Vulpix sat next to the creek patiently waiting for another bite to eat. As Mo let himself return to consciousness he picked up the rest of his sandwich and tossed it on the floor next to Vulpix. Picking the sandwich up, Vulpix silently pranced into the woods. Mo decided it was time to head back home before it got too dark. He took one last look at the almost arrow shaped symbol on the boulder then jumped down and ran off in the direction the arrow was pointing.

With a thin line of light left on the horizon, Mo reached his front door. He entered the wooden cabin he called home and felt a warm rush across his pale face. The pleasant aroma of his moms cooking flooded his nostrils. The table was set and a few pots were on simmer, but his mom wasn't in her usual spot near the stove. Mo checked the pots and dipped his finger into the pot of mashed potatoes to have a taste. _Delicious as always._ He heard his father's muffled voice coming from outside "Mo! Over here, in the barn! The ponyta eggs are hatching!" Mo jumped with excitement, "No way!" He couldn't believe it had already been three months since Rapidash had laid her eggs.

Mo ran out to the giant wood barn to find his mom kneeling down in one of the stalls next to the mother rapidash. Standing back smiling, his dad waited for him. "Would you look at that," he said putting his arm around Mo's shoulder as he pointed to the infant ponyta in his wife's arms. Mo's mom smiled and spoke softly, "It's a boy. And the other one hasn't broke out yet." The mare leaned its head over the stall and sniffed its new born. She was calm and gentle as she brushed her lips over the small ponyta. "What do you think big guy? You think he'll be yours in a couple of years?" Mo's dad promised him that when he turned ten he could have one of the new ponyta as his first pokémon. Mo gave a smirk, "We'll have to see how the other one turns out first." Periodically shaking, the other egg lay next to Mo's mom. It wouldn't be long before it would hatched and take its first breath of life.

The giant room was dimly lit by the flames of the six rapidash locked in there stalls for the night. "Hold on, I'm going to grab my camera," Mo's dad shouted as he ran out of the barn's only doorway. Moving closer to the ponyta, Mo knelt down next to his mother. The newborn had short white fur and an almost invisible flame running from between his ears to his tail. In awe, Mo ran his hand over Ponyta's face and leaned his head on his mother's shoulder. He felt her warmth as the surrounding air began getting colder.

Bam! A large crashing sound came from the rafters behind them. Mo turned in just enough time to see a small dark figure leaping at him from above. He was kicked and pushed to the floor. The fast moving shadow had ripped the baby ponyta from his mother's embrace and disappeared. Mo's mom screamed in fright. Panicing, the mother rapidash give a winey as she stood on her two hind legs. "What was that? Where did it go?" Mo looked to the rafters where the frightening beast had come from. The baby ponyta was nowhere in sight, nor was whatever took it. Small creaking could be heard from the wooden beams above. Mo and his mom scanned the dark area over their heads. "There it is!" Mo shouted as he stared into the piercing eyes of a child sized, black furred pokémon. It had a crimson wiry mane around its cat like head and long dangerous claws on the ends of both arms. It sat hunched over claw equipped feet. Between its slender down turned ears was a golden pendent resting on the middle of its forehead. "Weavile," It hissed as it jumped from the shadows.

Mo turned to protect the other egg laying feet away. Managing to grab and save it, Mo took a claw to the back, ripping his shirt and splitting his skin. The attacking pokémon dashed back into darkness. "It's okay, I've got the egg," Mo informed his mom. "Are you okay honey! Bill! Get out here!" She called, placing a hand on Mo's back. They could hear movement above them. _It sounds like more than just one of those things is up there._ Mo thought. Hugging the rumbling egg tightly, he made a run for the door. He and his mom were halfway there when another flash of black from the right knocked Mo down, causing the egg to tumble to the hay covered floor. Then another flash from the left swooped down, and like that, the egg was gone. Thrashing in her locked stall, the mother rapidash gave a loud whiney. Just then, Mo's dad had made it back to the barn alarmed. "What's going on?" he shouted. "Something took the baby ponyta. What are we going to do?" His wife replied, now panicking. A freezing gust of wind blew harshly at the family. The creatures where using their powers.

The five other rapidash in the barn began kicking at their stalls but none of them were as furious as the mother rapidash. Her flaming mane blazing, she kicked her way through the wood gate of her stall and began thrashing around the barn. Running over to control her in fear she'd cause harm to herself, Bill ordered. "Settle down girl! Sharon, we've got to get the rapidash back in their pokéballs!" At that moment two of the attacking pokémon jumped from the other end of the barn and sucker punched Rapidash. As they retreated Rapidash rose back up on two legs and swung her front feet in the air knocking Bill to the ground. "Dad!" Mo cried. "Bill!" Sharon rushed to Bill's aid.

The pokéballs were in the back of the barn behind the commotion. "Wea" another synchronized hiss came from behind Mo, as two more attackers swiftly moved to take out Rapidash. To defend herself, Rapidash release a flaming assault in Mo's direction. He shielded his eyes as the powerful fire blew him back, bursting across the barn floor and catching a bale of hay aflame. Mo could see one of the beasts as it was engulfed by the flames. Avoiding the blaze, the other beast was on course for Rapidash. The vicious pokémon dug its claws into Rapidash's back, drawing blood. Two more quickly followed suite and made swipes at the outnumbered mother rapidash.

Having moved Bill, who was unconscious, to the side, Sharon ran to the back of the barn to grab the pokéballs. She was unaware that the front of the barn was now quickly catching fire. "Mom, there's a fire!" Mo yelled. All neighing, the other five rapidash thumped the walls of their stalls violently. Just then the mother rapidash unleashed a flaming cyclone into the air. The barn lit up, revealing the beasts hiding in the shadows. Mo counted six weavile total, including the injured one. All with gleaming eyes fixed on the fiery, white unicorn.

The flames from the cyclone had grabbed one of the attackers and hurled it into the air. The black cat screeched an ominous cry as the flames took its body. Mo watched as the charred black body of the crimson manned pokémon dropped with a thud. As soon as the sound could resonate in the ears of the attackers the biggest and meanest of them leaped into the air. Firing a beam of icy blue light toward Rapidash, the evil spirited weavile hissed a deathly screech. The beam shined on Rapidash's face. She winced at the light attempting to charge blindly. But before she could take her first step she was immobilized. Her head chilled over and froze in place. Quickly spreading across her entire body, the blanket of white ice froze her solid.

Now with the bag of pokéballs in hand, Sharon gasped at the sight of Rapidash's frosted silhouette. She dug into the bag and pulled out a small, shiny, sphere. The ball gleamed half metallic red and half a powder coated white. As Sharon extended her arm out in a hasty motion the ball grew in her hand, "Rapidash return!" Sharon called out as she pushed the center button of the pokéball and aimed it forward at Rapidash. But her attempt was unsuccessful. The weavile beam slammed into her before she could call Rapidash back. She screamed in pain as the chilling ray pushed her against the floor.

Mo watched in terror as his mom began to be engulfed by a layer of ice. The fire spreading to the walls around him, Mo ran to his father who was lying knocked out on the floor. "Dad, wake up!" Mo coughed as his lungs took in smoke. The ice attack still freezing over his mother. "Dad!" he cried. He tried lifting his dad but couldn't budge him. Bill was too big for Mo to lift. Mo looked around to see if he could use anything to save his mother and father. The smoke was thick and he could hardly breathe. Flaming pieces of roof began falling to the ground. The structure was weakening, Mo was running out of time.


	2. Escape Rope

Escape Rope

Mo scanned his surroundings. The room was so obscured he could hardly see the high windows of the barn billowing out thick, black smoke. The front entrance was now shrouded with flames. Widening his eyes to pear through the stinging haze, Mo could make out a rolled natural fiber rope dangling along the wall nearest him and his dad. Crash! One of the rapidash smashed through the wooden gate of its stall, startling the head weavile, causing it to abandon its vicious ice attack. "Rapidash!" Mo called to the freed unicorn. But Rapidash was too spooked to acknowledge his plea. Without stopping its momentum, Rapidash cut a hard right for the front door and galloped through the flames. As it darted through the doorway it left behind an empty hole in the wall of fire. Not skipping a beat, the head weavile quickly took chase. Heeding their leader, the rest of the weavile instantly went in pursuit.

With the weavile distracted Mo saw his chance to rescue his mom and dad. He sprinted to the fiber rope hanging on the wall. With a short jump, Mo was able to get the rope over the bend of the rusted nail holding it in place. His heart pounding as he ran to his debilitated mother. "Where are they?" Mo checked the nearby ground for the bag with the rapidashes' pokéballs. He couldn't see it anything. He collapsed to his hands and knees coughing. Searching with his hands, until he caught sight of the bag. There it was, under the layer of ice wrapped around his mothers left shoulder. The ice was melting from the intense heat in the room, but not fast enough to get Sharon free before the building would fall.

Mo looked up across the barn at the stables of rapidash. "Maybe I can calm one down without its pokéball," he spoke to himself. He rose to his feet. The rope still over shoulder, he ran to the closest rapidash. Raising his hand, Mo attempted to calm Rapidash through all the commotion. "shhhhh. It's alright girl!" Mo struggled to say softly as he shouted over the crackling fire. Rapidash's eyes bulged as she continued to kick at the gate holding her hostage. "Easy there," Mo used a support in the gate to stand on as he placed his hand on Rapidash's muzzle. "It's okay," he softly pet the slick white fur on the side of Rapidash's face. Beginning to calm, Rapidash stopped kicking the gate and permitted Mo to take the rope to her muzzle.

Before Mo could wrap a loop around Rapidash's neck she began to panic again, jerking away from Mo's hands. Not sure of what was going on, Mo struggled to grab hold of Rapidash. He reached his arm around her neck only to see a blue orb glowing in her eye. Mo turned to see Weavile standing directly behind him, preparing to discharge another blast of sub-zero light. Hurling himself over the gate and into Rapidash's stall, Mo narrowly escaped the wrath of Weavile's blue beam. Missing its mark, the beam impacted Rapidash in the center of her face. Mo clenched the rope, terrified as he shielded himself from tiny residual shards of ice bouncing off Rapidash's face and liquefying at the floor.

Mo looked up at the high window on the wall in front of him. Crouching up, he used the heavy smoke cover to sneak to the back of the stall as Rapidash spit a whirl of fire at Weavile. Having to dodge the fire, Weavile was forced to stop its relentless attack. Seeing that the weavile had its hands full, Mo climbed the grill fencing on the side wall of the stable. He looked up at a large support beam leading to the window above. Then he looked back towards the center of the barn. A feeling of deep lament fell over him as he looked upon his parents. His father who had taught him the importance of hard work and courage, once standing proud and strong, now lay helpless. And his mother, whose warm heart filled with compassion and honesty, was now trapped under a cold tomb of ice. With the structure soon to fall, Mo came to the crushing realization that he wouldn't be able to save his loving parents.

He tied a quick two knots on the end of the rope and tossed it up towards the smoldering beam of wood. The rope went up and lightly over the support beam falling back down into Mo's hands. He firmly tugged on the rope, testing the remaining strength of the crippled rafters. Being small for an eight year old, weighing only around 50 pounds, Mo was confident the rope would hold him without the ceiling collapsing. Wrapping his arms around the two ends of the fiber robe he began to climb, placing one hand over the other, alternating between strands with each push upward. The adrenaline in his blood fought the smoke in his lungs as he made the exhausting climb.

Mo was nearly two feet from the support beam when he felt his head get light. The inhalation of so much smoke was affecting his brain and motor functions. His arms began to lose their strength, and his hands loosened their grip. One last expulsion of black puffy smoke from his innards caused his head to face the ground. Through rolling clouds of black he could see his parents, unaware of their impending doom. A tear raced down Mo's cheek. He knew to let himself die would be the greatest tragedy to his mom and dad. He had to keep fighting for their sake.

Understanding it would be the last time he would ever see his parents, Mo clinched his eyes shut, tightened his grip and made a blind climb to the wooden support. He wrapped his arms over the top of the 12 inch thick beam and kicked his legs out as he dragged his exhausted body to the top of it. Laying belly down, he could see the window only 5 feet away. Still gripping the rope, Mo stretched his arms as far as they would go. His arms pulled as his legs pushed his body forward along the beam. Once he reached the window he sat upright and took the rope in his hands. Mo tied a cow knot around the beam he sat on, and then tossed the other end of the rope out the window.

As Mo readied himself to scale down the rope he could hear Rapidash neighing through the roar of the fire. The barn made a loud creak as Mo felt the beam beneath him begin to tremble. Scrambling for the window then peered out, he could see the outer walls of the barn were ablaze. Luckily his route down was clear of flames. As Mo turned around to back himself out of the window a rush of heat struck his face. He held his breath as he shimmied out of the window seal. From there he just needed to propel down. He was half way to the ground when he heard a Creeeeak and a POP! The walls of the barn began to fall in on themselves. Mo was caught by surprise. He kicked his legs against the tilting wall as hard as he could and released his hold on the old fiber rope. His momentum pushed him out 3 feet from the barn where he landed shoulder first on the ground. Hurt but okay, Mo managed to roll into the fall, preventing any serious injuries.

The barn had collapsed to a pile of burning timber. Mo got up and watched from a patch of tall grass as the wood continued to pop and shift. He could only think of the horror his parents faced. Afraid, confused and sadder than he ever thought possible, his face began to flush red, and tears welled up in his eyes. Everything had hit him at once, the agony, the anger and the loneliness, "Noooo! Wh-why!" he screamed. Mo extended his hand out to the barn in grief. His knees felt weak and his chest sank. He wilted to the floor. Overwhelmed, Mo buried his face in his hands and wept.

A small shadow stood on the other side of the barn. As it walked silently in Mo's direction, four more shadows appeared behind it. Unaware that the weavile had made it out of the barn alive, Mo continued to cry into his hands. The weavile crept closer with the intentions to finish what they had started. Mo's vehemence had caught up with him and he gave the ground a quick punch in anger. Happening to catch the gleaming red eyes of the beasts' in his peripherals, Mo froze in fear. He had to think fast as the cruel weavile loomed closer. What was he going to do? They were faster, stronger and more deadly.

The first weavile stopped approximately 25 feet from Mo. The other weavile continued to walk to Mo's right. When the second one stopped about 40 feet from the first, Mo could see what they we're doing. They planned on forming a circle around him and taking him from all sides. Staring into the eyes of the first beast that had planted its feet, Mo recognized its face. "The bastard that got mom," he whispered under his breath. Mo's fear had disappeared as anger filled his body. Reaching for a golf ball sized rock lying next to him Mo rose to his feet as the weavile continued to form a perimeter. They weren't threatened by the small child as they knew there was little he could do to fight back. If there was a time for Mo to act, it was now.


	3. A Rustle in the Leaves

A Rustle in the Leaves

The cool night's breeze blew through the tear in Mo's shirt and stung the gash in his back. He stood facing the last weavile that had stopped in the circular attack formation. Staring into its eyes, Mo was un-intimidated. The rock heavy in his right hand, Mo raised it and gave it a hard thump across his left breast. He felt the vibration of the thud on his chest bellow through his body. Jolted with rage, he drew his arm back as far as he could. Weavile watched Mo warily as its partners continued moving into position. Mo gave Weavile an intense stare before he made his move. With a quick shift in weight, Mo turned his left foot toward the head weavile. His torso sprang forward as his arm slung the rock in his hand.

Weavile's eyes widened as the rock flew on a fast track for its cranium. The head weavile had no time to react as the golf ball sized stone soared across the air and made contact with its golden medallion. Clank! The weavile was hit. Stunned, its eyes wavered as it lost grip on the ground beneath it. Weavile's body tilted back and began to fall. Mo had hit his mark. Weavile gave a thud against the ground and a cloud of dust rose. Embers of the burning barn glowed in the background casting lengthy cat-like shadows across the dirt.

The standing four weavile where astonished. "Wee," one called, as its leader hit the floor. All eyes focused on the fallen weavile. Mo guessed that without their leader the other weavile wouldn't have direction to take chase. Making a 180 as fast as he could, Mo made a dead sprint west. He retreated to the tall grasses as the standing weavile remained watching their leader lay comatose.

Without a glance back, Mo moved his feet as fast as he could. He ran from the weavile and from the burning barn behind him. Pushing over grass stalks and making his way into darkness. He ran far out of the weaviles' sight and into the meadow. The grass stood taller than he, but he was sure the weavile were still able to hear him. He knew if he could make the forest break he would have a better chance to hide. So he panicked his way across the prairie. With every step his anxiety relieved a little more. For the farther he was away from the monsters the safer he would be.

He reached the edge of the tall grass where the barbed wire fence his father had built stood. Mo had run this exact route at least a hundred times before and he had never run it so fast. His heart rushing, he crawled under the fence with ease and made a break for the forest that bordered his family's property. As he jumped across the small creek he passed the boulder he sat atop earlier in the day. He thought he heard rumbling in the grass behind him but he wasn't sure. His breathing was too heavy and his legs were too exhausted to make since of his surroundings.

He entered the dark wooded area moving fast. Mo ran between standing trees and over fallen logs longer then his legs could endure. The sound of the burning barn had faded and all his ears could make out were the pitter patter of his footsteps and heavy breathes. The moon and starlight dissipated behind him. Without being able to see where he was running Mo trenched deep into the thick forest, until his left heel caught an outreaching tree root. He clipped the edge of the root just as a dip in the terrain appeared. His next footstep lost placement of the ground. Great momentum and bodily imbalance sent him tumbling to the ground, rolling down slope. With a quick Plude! Mo's head hit the earth. His vision dissolved before him and he went unconscious.

His eyes blinked open and the sky was overcast. Daylight had come and Mo's head felt nauseous from the light shining through the clouds. He sat up in an attempt to grasp where he was and what had happened. "Uhhh," he moaned, as the weight of his head was more than he could handle. He gave himself a second to recover, and remembered his parents and the weavile. It sank in as his stomach turned. With a head full of sorrow and a stomach full of distress Mo began to vomit.

After wiping the last bit of spittle off his lips Mo got to his feet. Knowing it was too dangerous to head back the way he came, Mo thought about the only other place he knew of that had people. Fuchsia City, where he rode with his parents to trade goods at its market. He would need to go south to find route 15 and make his way to Fuchsia. The trip usually took a full day but without a rapidash to ride Mo had no clue how long the walk would take.

Mo used the dull sun's rays shining through the stiff bare tree branches as a guide. _If it's morning and the sun is on my left…_He thought. _Never Eat Shredded Wheat… Then I'm facing south!_He began his trek through the unfamiliar forest. He could hardly muster walking in silence as he dwelled on his lost family and home. Throughout the morning he had to stop occasionally to rest and give himself time to mourn.

The forest was asleep, all the trees' leaves lay dead on the floor and their branches were bare. It was about noon when Mo heard a strange sound echoing through the empty woods. _It sounds like howling._"Ooooohooo," at first Mo was frightened. He stopped his footsteps. _Could it be one of those things coming to get me?_"vOooooaaaal….." But after the second cry it sounded more sad than hostile. Mo positioned his ears in the direction of the noise. "yaoooooo." _What could that be?_ He wondered. As the shrieks repeated Mo's curiosity got the better of him. He decided to investigate.

Leaves crunched and twigs snapped as he tiptoed towards the cries. As Mo got closer he took cover behind wide tree trunks. He was nearly 20 yards away when he peeked his head out from behind grey bark. And there he saw it. Sitting next to a rotting log, in a dried pond bed, a small vulpix was gnawing on its hind leg. Mo's eyes widened as he recognized Vulpix. "I know you," he grinned. Comforted by the familiar face, he let his guard down and calmly walked in Vulipix's direction. As he got closer Vulpix noticed him approaching. Its ears reared back and it stood on all fours lowering its head to the ground. Mo took another step before Vulpix tried to run.

Clink clink. A chain attached from the ground to Vulpix's leg pulled tight. Mo could see a steel pokémon trap clamped around Vulpix's left ankle. "Easy buddy," he whispered as he stepped nearer. Vulpix quickly turned to face him. It snarled its small canine teeth and raised the hairs on its back. Unafraid of the tiny fox, Mo inched closer and kneeled down in front of it. He steadily reached for the spring loaded trap latched onto Vulpix, but before his hands could grab it Vulpix twirled its body around. Small embers streaked outward from the red fox's three tails. Mo lunged back as the embers shot towards him. The small orange cinders spread across Vulpix's perimeter, landed on the forest floor and faded out.

Taken back, Mo's face got serious. "Now do you want my help or not?" He asked firmly as he stared into Vulpix's large, amber eyes. He made one more attempt to get close but Vulpix continued to growl in unease. Without saying another word Mo stepped back and sat Indian style a safe distance away. Vulpix gave him one more glare before going back to gnawing on its leg.

Time past by with Vulpix gnawing, then pacing, then laying down to rest, never letting Mo get more than 10 feet from it without sending out a warning snarl. At one point Mo wondered if Vulpix was a male or female. So the next time Vulpix paced back and forth Mo leaned his head down and checked under its legs. _He's a boy._ Not that it made any difference but it was only natural to wonder. "So you're a boy vulpix, huh? Why are you so shy? You know me, I've given you tons of sandwiches." Mo tried reasoning. He knew most pokémon understood speech but it could be that Vulpix was too young or wild to understand him. _He must have been born around the time I first started seeing him. And that was like two months ago. Why was a Vulpix born so late in the year?_

With the night fast approaching Mo realized he hadn't had any food. Vulpix looked exhausted and hungry as well. At this time of year there weren't much wild things moving around. However, some berries could still be fruiting. So Mo got to his feet, "I'll be back Vulpix, don't worry." He walked away scouting for something to eat. He walked through the woods as clouds covered the sky making everything look black and grey. The entire forest seemed dry and lifeless. About a half mile from where he left Vulpix, Mo came across the remaining shell of a bug pokémon still attached to a tree. The carcass was a washed out yellow with dull black eyes and a withered horn on the top of its head. Mo observed its flaking body and arched abdomen. It was like its moment of death was captured in time. It made Mo think. _Where is the rest of him? What happens when you die? Are my parents someplace where they're both happy?_

Mo got back to Vulpix just before sundown. He returned holding his shirt out, forming a small basket which he filled with berries. Some weren't ripe enough and others were dried and shrunken but they were edible none the less. Vulpix could smell the food and perked his ears up. Mo rose a berry, "Look what I found," and tossed it to Vulpix. He caught the soft, pink berry and gulped it down. Vulpix sat down staring anxiously at Mo, waiting for another bite. Mo smiled holding a berry out in his hand and crept towards Vulpix. "Oh, now that I have food you'll let me get close? Here you go." Vulpix chomped on the berry right out of Mo's hand.

Mo unraveled his shirt and laid a few more berries down in front of him. As he pocketed the rest, the hungry vulpix began to feast. "Okay, I'm going to help you out." Mo hesitantly reached back to remove the trap. As his hands inched closer, Vulpix gave him a suspicious glance. "It's okay boy," Mo reassured. Grabbing the offset jaws of the trap, Mo pulled them apart allowing Vulpix to lift his leg free. "Doesn't that feel better?" Mo checked Vulpix's leg and saw there weren't any injuries. The trap lacked teeth and Mo let it spring shut. "What's wrong with people?"

When Vulpix finished his meal he eagerly waited for more. His big amber eyes were glossy, and his three puffy tails wagged back and forth. Pulling a ripe berry out of his pocket, Mo stooped down to extended it to Vulpix. The young fox allowed Mo to pet his head as he nibbled on the berry. "See, I'm not so bad. And, hey you're kinda warm. Are you sick?" Then Mo noticed Vulpix's whole body was radiating heat. "I guess you're a fire type. It could be normal," Mo shrugged it off and went looking for fire wood.

Night was falling but luckily dead tree branches weren't hard to find. Mo gathered a bunch and piled them in the area he had found Vulpix. Vulpix closely followed Mo around the camp ground as he walked around the area picking up sticks. When he had enough to last the night he staked some up like a teepee and bunched some dried leaves in the center. All he needed was a flame.

"This is where you come in little guy," Mo turned to Vulpix. Not understanding what to do, Vulpix sat with a cheerful look on his face still hoping for some berries. "Alright I know what you want," as Mo pulled a berry from his pocket. "Alright Vulpix, use ember," Mo said pointing at the sticks with no luck. "Come on boy, ember." Vulpix sat back waiting for the berry. Then a light went off in Mo's head. He positioned himself between Vulpix and the small teepee of sticks. "Ember!" he shouted as he lunged at Vulpix. The frightened fox dodged backwards, spinning and releasing smolders in the process. Expecting this, Mo jumped letting the embers catch the dried leaves on fire. "Good boy!" he exclaimed as he tossed a few berries to Vulpix. Vulpix was startled but Mo could tell he was starting to get the picture.

That night Mo slept next to the fire but when he awoke in the morning Vulpix was gone. He continued his walk through the woods on his own. It wasn't long after he started walking when he heard steps behind him. Mo turned around as quick as possible only to see nothing but dormant trees. The forest was silent. Mo waited, fearing that the weavile were stalking him. His tension was relieved when a small head peeked from behind a tree. "Hey, it's you." Stepping out from hiding, Vulpix wagged his tails. "You scared me," as Mo turned and continue walking. Vulpix followed him keeping his distance.

The two traveled together for the next few days. Mo lead the way as Vulpix scouted around. Sometimes Vulpix would wonder out of sight for a while but would always find his way back. Without worrying, Mo discovered that all he had to do was call out for Vulpix and he would show himself somewhere off in the distance. The two worked together to gather berries out of reach as Vulpix grew more comfortable letting Mo touch him.

While walking in a small open meadow within the forest, Mo stepped onto a pidgey's roosting spot. The pidgey immediately took flight, startling Mo. He jumped back as Vulpix quickly made its way across the meadow. Leaping at the opportunity Vulpix used his embers to take down the low flying pidgey. Pouncing on top of the wounded bird, Vulpix snapped its neck with a quick chomp. It wasn't bad tasting after Mo defeathered, cleaned and cooked it. Following this, Mo and Vulpix designed a method to catch unsuspecting pidgey. Throwing rocks or sticks Mo would flush them out from hiding. Then Vulpix would flank them, using his embers to cripple.

Eating cooked pidgey wings on a particularly cold night, Mo confessed to Vulpix, "You know boy, if it weren't for you I don't know if I would have lasted this long. I'm glad you're here with me. You're all I've got now." Gazing into the campfire, Mo stopped. He missed his parents. And wasn't sure if he would ever see them again. A pain shot from deep in his heart and spread across his insides. Holding back his tears Mo reached out to pet Vulpix. The little fox gnawed on a wing bone as Mo rubbed his fuzzy head. The feel of warm, soft fur against Mo's palm eased his ache. That night the camp fire died out while Mo was asleep. Noticing this, Vulpix walked over and curled up next to his new friend to help keep him warm.

The following day the pair hunted together but had no success. As they readied to make camp Mo reassured Vulpix, "It's okay boy, we'll eat tomorrow. I promise." Still determined Vulpix gave a gruff and pranced out of sight. The sky was blanketed in black and Vulpix hadn't come back yet. "I hope he didn't get caught in another trap," Mo spoke with concern thick in his voice. He waited around another 20 minutes until he decided to go searching.

The clouds shielded the stars' light from reaching the earth's face. Mo could hardly make his way through the forest. He had no idea where his next step would land and no clue what was more than 30 feet ahead of him. "Vulpix! Vulpix are you there boy!" He waited for a response before picking back up and continuing to walk. When unexpectedly Mo heard a rustle in the leaves. "Vulpix, is that you?" An odd moaning was coming from ahead. Mo peered forward and could hardly make out the silhouette of a person hunched over. _Why is a person out here? Should I say something?_

Still hunching the silhouette drudged toward Mo. "Excuse me, have you seen a Vulpix around here?" Mo asked, his voice slightly quivering. As the person got closer it appeared to be holding up its left hand as if carrying an unlit lantern. Mo grew suspicious as the incomer paced not saying a word. Finally the whites of the person's eyes came to sight. As the dull eyes stared into Mo's he felt a sudden lull come over him. Mo couldn't make out the persons face but could see the swinging motion of a coin sized object just before his eyes grew heavy and his mind fatigued. The lazy eyes of the stranger gazed down on Mo as his head rocked back and forth until his eyes feebly shut close. "Hyyyyyyyp," the assailant softly spoke as it grasped Mo before his body struck the ground.


End file.
